How many quarterbacks can say they triggered a football nerdgasm in their first pro start? At least Mitchell Trubisky has that going for him.
After four weeks of Mike Glennon, the Chicago Bears finally handed the starting quarterback job to rookie first-round draft pick Mitchell Trubisky on Monday night against Minnesota. Chicago gave up 2017 third- and fourth-rounders as well as a 2018 third-rounder to move up one spot to draft Trubisky in April, despite him starting only 13 games at North Carolina. Monday Night Football against a division rival with one of the best defenses in the league is a hell of an NFL debut, but after last playing two Thursdays ago, the Bears had more than 10 days to get Trubisky ready.
Trubisky didn’t have a great stat line. He completed 12 of 25 passes for 128 yards with one touchdown and a pick. The interception was of the backbreaking, game-losing variety, and the Vikings won 20-17, thanks to a late Kai Forbath field goal. But the loss didn’t really matter, because Trubisky featured heavily in one of the most fun plays of the season—a schoolyard-bullshit-looking two-point conversion to tie the game in the fourth quarter.
MITCH TRUBISKY DOES IT ALL #10GAWD pic.twitter.com/ycpdRlFVwo
— Barstool Hawkeyes (@BarstoolUIowa) October 10, 2017
Trubisky was not perfect on Monday night, but this one play provided more hope to Bears fans than a lifetime of Glennon ever could.
On non-two-point-conversion plays, Trubisky played OK given the circumstances. Bears offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains did an excellent job of adapting the Chicago offense, getting Trubisky outside of the pocket and throwing on the run. At times he looked excellent.
Mitchell Trubisky rolls out to throw perfect pass to sliding Tre McBride!!! pic.twitter.com/j6Ltj0Q3Xz
— TheRenderNFL (@TheRenderNFL) October 10, 2017
Trubisky showed his promise early in the game and his inexperience later on, but Monday is not going to make or break the kid’s career. His long-term development is far more important to the Bears franchise than its 2017 record. After years of watching the likes of Jay Cutler, Kyle Orton, and Rex Grossman, Trubisky reminded Bears fans that quarterbacks are supposed to be exciting.